Costs in How Wood at a Glance
| NHS orthodontic charges | Free for eligible under-18s; adults pay Band 3 (£332.10) |
|---|---|
| Deprivation | Around the England average |
| Nearest practice listing private treatment | UK Dental Specialists, St Albans — under a mile; 28 within 10 miles |
| Nearest practice listing payment plans | UK Dental Specialists, St Albans — under a mile; 14 within 10 miles |
| Practices on our register | 22 within 5 miles, 69 within 10, 282 within 20 |
| Adults locally | 10.2% aged 16 to 24 and 28.5% aged 25 to 49 of 1,218 residents |
| Area type (ONS) | Urban: Nearer to a major town or city |
| Access within Hertfordshire | 57th closest to a practice of 421 places in the county; the county median is 2 miles |
Sources: Census 2021 (NOMIS), DfE Get Information About Schools, ONS geography, UK NHS dental charge schedules and our orthodontic practice register. Distances are straight-line.
Practices near How Wood that list payment plans
On our practice register: 22 practices within 5 miles of How Wood, 69 practices within 10 and 282 practices within 20. The closest is UK Dental Specialists in St Albans, 0.7 miles north-west. The nearest that mentions finance or monthly payments is UK Dental Specialists, 0.7 miles north-west.
| Practice | Distance | NHS | Private | Finance | Google rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Dental SpecialistsSt Albans | 0.7 miles north-west | – | ✓ | ✓ | 4.9 (879 reviews) |
| ST ALBANS ORTHODONTIC CENTRESt Albans | 2.1 miles north | ✓ | – | – | – |
| The Maltings Dental SurgerySt Albans | 2.2 miles north | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | 4.3 (1,236 reviews) |
| Dental Specialists St AlbansSt Albans | 2.3 miles north | – | ✓ | – | 4.6 (31 reviews) |
| Victoria Dental ClinicSt Albans | 2.3 miles north | – | ✓ | – | 4.9 (1,001 reviews) |
| Visage Dental St AlbansSt Albans | 2.3 miles north | – | ✓ | ✓ | 5.0 (114 reviews) |
✓ listed in the practice's own information; – not mentioned, which doesn't mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
Nearest places to How Wood with practices listing payment plans
The closest town with practices listing payment plans is St Albans, 0.7 miles north-west; the next are Watford (4.1 miles south-west) and Hatfield (5.3 miles east).
| Place | Practices | Nearest |
|---|---|---|
| St Albans | 11 | 0.7 miles north-west |
| Watford | 11 | 4.1 miles south-west |
| Hatfield | 1 | 5.3 miles east |
| Hemel Hempstead | 4 | 5.3 miles west |
| Borehamwood | 2 | 5.4 miles south-east |
| Shenley | 1 | 5.4 miles south-east |
Counted from the practices on our register around this place, nearest first. Straight-line distances.
Best-reviewed practices within 20 miles of How Wood
Of the practices within 20 miles with at least 10 Google reviews, the highest rated is Regency House Dental Clinic and Implant Centre in St Albans (5.0 from 184 reviews), 2.4 miles north.
| Practice | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Regency House Dental Clinic and Implant CentreSt Albans | 5.0 (184 reviews) | 2.4 miles north |
| Landmark DentalHemel Hempstead | 5.0 (158 reviews) | 5.3 miles west |
| Visage Dental St AlbansSt Albans | 5.0 (114 reviews) | 2.3 miles north |
| Alban City Dental & Surgical CentreSt Albans | 5.0 (110 reviews) | 2.6 miles north |
Ratings are each practice's public Google review average and say nothing about clinical quality. Straight-line distances.
What a course costs from How Wood, travel included
The fees are typical UK private prices. Travel is added for the journey to UK Dental Specialists, the nearest practice on our register (under a mile away, about 0.9 miles by road), at the 45p a mile HMRC rate for every visit there and back.
| Treatment | Typical fee | Visits | Travel | Total from here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metal braces | £1,500 to £3,500 | 10 to 20 | £10 to £15 | £1,510 to £3,515 |
| Ceramic braces | £2,000 to £4,500 | 10 to 20 | £10 to £15 | £2,010 to £4,515 |
| Lingual braces | £4,000 to £8,000 | 10 to 20 | £10 to £15 | £4,010 to £8,015 |
| Clear aligners | £1,500 to £5,500 | 6 to 10 | £5 to £10 | £1,505 to £5,510 |
| Invisalign | £2,500 to £5,500 | 6 to 10 | £5 to £10 | £2,505 to £5,510 |
Estimates. Fees vary by practice and case, so ask what each quote includes (retainers, refinements, emergency visits). NHS treatment for eligible under-18s is free.
What affects cost near How Wood
| Cost factor | Look for | Nearest listing it | Next nearest | Within 20 miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free first appointment | a free consultation | Regency House Dental Clinic and Implant Centre, St Albans (2.4 miles) | St Albans Orthodontics (2.5 miles); Dr Korosh Majidi (4.7 miles) | 7 |
| Monthly payments | payment plans | UK Dental Specialists, St Albans (under a mile) | The Maltings Dental Surgery (2.2 miles); Visage Dental St Albans (2.3 miles) | 14 |
| NHS treatment | NHS orthodontics | ST ALBANS ORTHODONTIC CENTRE (2.1 miles) | The Maltings Dental Surgery (2.2 miles); Regency House Dental Clinic and Implant Centre (2.4 miles) | 18 |
| Private treatment | private fees | UK Dental Specialists, St Albans (under a mile) | The Maltings Dental Surgery (2.2 miles); Dental Specialists St Albans (2.3 miles) | 28 |
| Aligner prices to compare | aligners | UK Dental Specialists, St Albans (under a mile) | The Maltings Dental Surgery (2.2 miles); Visage Dental St Albans (2.3 miles) | 21 |
| Brace prices to compare | fixed braces | UK Dental Specialists, St Albans (under a mile) | Visage Dental St Albans (2.3 miles); Regency House Dental Clinic and Implant Centre (2.4 miles) | 13 |
Built from what each practice's own published information mentions, so a missing entry means not mentioned, which does not mean not offered. Straight-line distances.
There's no single price for orthodontics in How Wood — the range is genuinely wide. What's included in a quote matters as much as the headline figure when you compare providers. A photo assessment helps you gauge likely complexity before comparing quotes.
What Affects Orthodontic Costs?
Treatment type matters most. The gap between metal and lingual braces reflects real differences in materials, lab work and chair time.
Case complexity adds to it regardless of appliance — more movement means more trays or adjustments, more visits, and more of the clinician's time.
Number of arches affects the total — treating both upper and lower costs more than one arch alone. Confirm whether a quote covers both before comparing.
Retainers close out treatment but aren't always in the headline fee — ask whether they're included or charged on top.
Refinements can quietly inflate an aligner bill if capped, so pin down the refinement policy up front.
Practice location and overheads explain part of the spread: overheads differ practice to practice in How Wood, and shopping around is standard for private treatment.
Orthodontic Payment Plans in How Wood
Spreading the cost of orthodontic treatment over monthly payments makes even higher-cost options such as Invisalign or ceramic braces more manageable. Most practices in How Wood offer payment plans — ask whether they are 0% interest, what deposit is required, and whether payments continue if treatment takes longer than planned.
NHS treatment is free for eligible under-18s. Adults who do qualify pay the NHS Band 3 charge, £332.10 in England from April 2026, which covers the whole course.
Cost Context for How Wood
Private full fixed brace treatment costs in How Wood generally sit between £1,500 and £5,500. Mild-to-moderate crowding or spacing is often suitable for clear aligners, while more complex cases are more commonly recommended fixed braces.
Not every practice near How Wood offers the same treatments, so it's worth checking what each one covers. How Wood's ONS geography type is urban: Nearer to a major town or city. NHS Central East Integrated Care Board is the NHS body responsible for dental commissioning in How Wood. Census figures show 19.5% of the local population is under 16. Census 2021 counts 1,218 residents in the neighbourhood around How Wood, 7.3% of them aged 10 to 15, below the 7.8% average across Hertfordshire. Measured by orthodontic practices within five miles (21), How Wood has more choice than 92% of towns in England. The closest secondary schools to How Wood are The Marlborough Science Academy (1.3 miles) and Parmiter's School (2.0 miles). 7 secondary schools are within three miles. How Wood sits close to the England average for deprivation. The nearest university dental hospital to How Wood is UCL Eastman Dental Hospital, London, about 17 miles away, where hospital orthodontic referrals are seen. See local practice availability in How Wood → Costs can vary significantly between providers — getting two or three quotes and comparing what's included (retainers, refinements, both arches) before committing is strongly recommended.
How much do aligners cost in How Wood?
Clear aligner cost in How Wood varies considerably from case to case. The main drivers are treatment complexity, the aligner brand, the provider's experience, and what the fee actually includes. Comparing quotes only makes sense once you know what each one covers.
Understanding What Your Quote Covers in How Wood
The most common source of cost disputes after aligner treatment in How Wood relates to refinements — the additional trays made after the original series to fine-tune the result. Some providers include unlimited refinements; others charge per additional set. Confirm this in writing before starting.
Clear aligners in How Wood — comparing lower-cost options
Lower-cost clear aligners in How Wood are the right call for some cases and the wrong one for others. The saving is fine when it matches a simple case; it's a risk when it means less clinical input. Below, we break down what drives the low end of the market and how to compare it safely.
What Makes Some Aligner Options Cheaper in How Wood?
Treatment scope — a limited course for minor front-tooth alignment is genuinely cheaper because there's simply less treatment involved, and that's fine when the case really is mild.
Frequently Asked Questions — Costs in How Wood
Where is the nearest orthodontist to How Wood?
On our register, the nearest orthodontic practice to How Wood is UK Dental Specialists in St Albans, about 0.7 miles to the north-west. The next closest are ST ALBANS ORTHODONTIC CENTRE (2.1 miles) and The Maltings Dental Surgery (2.2 miles).
How many orthodontic practices are near How Wood?
Our register has 22 practices within 5 miles of How Wood, 69 practices within 10 miles and 282 practices within 20 miles.
Which practices near How Wood offer payment plans?
The nearest practice to How Wood that mentions finance or monthly payment options is UK Dental Specialists in St Albans, about 0.7 miles to the north-west. Others nearby include The Maltings Dental Surgery (2.2 miles) and Visage Dental St Albans (2.3 miles).
Which county covers How Wood?
How Wood falls within Hertfordshire.
Is How Wood rural or urban?
ONS classifies How Wood as urban: Nearer to a major town or city.
Is How Wood a family area?
Around 19.5% of How Wood's residents are under 16, per the 2021 Census.
How big is How Wood?
How Wood has a population of around 3,300.
How much do aligners cost?
Roughly £1,500 for simple entry-level systems up to £5,500+ for comprehensive Invisalign treatment — check the fee includes trays, refinements and retainers before you sign anything.
Last updated: October 2026, compiled by the Virtual Consultant Online editorial team from our practice register and public data. Information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute clinical advice; it is not reviewed by a clinician. Sources: NHS, General Dental Council. How we compile our information.
Costs Across Hertfordshire
Explore costs information for other towns and cities in Hertfordshire — all with dedicated local pages and online assessment access: